So, A Prince and a Warlock Walk Into a Bar
by Jissai
Summary: The first time Arthur calls Merlin "Emrys."


Thank you Bailieboro for the beta! : )

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"So, your name is Emrys?" the prince said as he quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes!" the manservant slurred, taking another gulp of mead before slamming the jug down. However, he missed the table by several inches, and the unfortunate jug tumbled. Merlin looked mournfully, as he watched the remainder of his drink puddle on the tavern floor. The prince patted the sulking boy's back and ordered him another.

"So, what was this thing you said about destiny, Merlin?"

"Emrys!" the other insisted, pointing a swaying finger as if the prince had made the gravest of offenses. The soon-to-be monarch watched in amusement as his manservant didn't give the barmaid time to set the next round of mead on the table before grabbing the jug. Practically inhaling the alcohol, before he continued, spilling his fantasy of being an all-powerful sorcerer. In truth, Arthur couldn't blame the lanky, skinny, shit with a sword, male for aspiring towards something he could never truly be. It had to get depressing after a while, being useless.

"I…" the servant began in what he meant to be a whisper, however loud, leaning across the small table speaking near the royal's ear. The royal almost gagged at the smell of the heavy alcohol. "I...am a warlock! Shhh!"

"Sure you are, Merlin."

"Emrys!"

"You need to keep your voice down." Arthur warned the weaker male, battle trained eyes scanning the tavern wearily for any eavesdroppers. His manservant may have been wasted at the moment, thinking he had magic of all things, but that wouldn't stop his father for tying him to the pyre come morning.

"Why? I'm all powerful...remember?" The servant giggled, before stretching the skin at the corner of his eyes, making his blue orbs appear long and dainty, "My eyes glow!" he announced loudly, gaining the attention of nearby customers.

"Merlin, shut up." The slightly annoyed royal whispered to his dear, though alcohol-challenged, friend.

The manservant giggled again at the prince who simply sat there across from him, a little embarrassed. A very quiet prince hoping, that no one would recognize him tonight or the slurring, giggling, drunken idiot across from him, claiming that he could control dragons.

For the royal's own sake, of course!

The idiot became louder as the minutes passed, boasting to the growing crowd, a mix of worried and amused onlookers, that he had defeated the Great Dragon, destroyed the Cup of Life, made a magic sword, occasionally talked to his dead girlfriend, and had known all along that Morgana was a smirking witch.

That was when, the prince realized it was time to leave.

"Why do we have to leave, they appreciate me here! Unlike SOMEONE I know!" The drunken warlock loudly stated, attempting to return to his chair. Of course, the lanky male's usual clumsiness, topped with alcohol-induced, swaying vision, did nothing to aid him as he almost fell to the floor instead.

'When did the world turn upside down?' the servant thought.

The prince caught his drunk, albeit delusional, friend, guiding him outside the tavern.

"No...o," the loud mumbling man began, his face cheerful as ever if somewhat flushed, " Yu gotta belie-ve-me Artur! I-have to protect yu-uu!" The lanky boy slurred, poking his friend on the side of his face. He giggled as the prince rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath something about the stocks and cleaning all the rooms in the castle come the next morning.

"Oh, and Ar...ter!" the servant whispered.

The royal grimacing as his friend breathed in his face as they continued their journey home, said, "Yes! Oh great Emrys?"

His wasted friend's refusal to move at that point, had the prince almost tripping at the sudden lack of movement. The younger one was thrown into a fit of giggles as the older one easily, however annoyed, dragged him to the physician's chambers, turning the heads of a good number of maids and noblemen.

"Bloody hell! You're more useless than normal!"

"I need to d-ell you a see-cret, Arter!" Merlin hummed happily as he was, eventually carried through the halls by royalty.

"Shut up, Merlin!"

"Emrys!" he giggled at the death glares coming from his best friend. "Arter, doan d-ell de king about my magic book undr de floorboards, kay?"

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><p>"Good morning, Emrys."<p>

The manservant was frozen in his position on the bed, eyes as wide as the day was long.

"Good morning, Emrys." Arthur repeated.

"I...I...I!" the lanky boy stuttered, hearing the sound of his rapid heartbeat in his ears.

The royal watched in amusement as his best friend looked as if he almost had a heart attack. His eyes followed his pale, hopeless friend, as the lanky male frantically jumped out of the bed, bounced up and down, ruffled his own hair, before finally, dropping to his knees near the bedpost screaming, his head covered by a small rug.

"How did you know?" the manservant's muffled voice inquired from the rug.

"What, Emrys?" The prince repeated, a proud smirk adorning the royal features as he watched his friend's ashen face respond to the name. Evidently, _one_ of them didn't remember the trip to the tavern the night before.

Not that Arthur was going to remind him... He casually leaned against the wall of the manservant's pitiful excuse for a bedroom, watching as his friend continued to stare at him in sheer horror. The younger male eyed the prince, then traveled wide-eyed down towards the recently sharpened sword on the royal hip, and then back up the prince again.

"Y-you mean," the younger man began, standing and approaching the other cautiously.

The prince cut him off... "Yes Emrys, I know of your destiny." The manservant looked as if he were about to die right then and there. 'This was turning out to be an amusing day, indeed,' thought the prince.

"Y-you mean you-you…" he stuttered.

"Yes." The royal stated. He had to give his manservant credit, useless as he was, for his excellent imitation of a gasping fish.

"An...and you're not...?" the manservant's gaze traveled to the royal sword again, jumping when the prince lightly taped the handle.

"I'm not what, Merlin?"

"Oh, nothing sire!" The manservant sighed in relief, beginning to smile gleefully, "I'm so glad you took it so well! It's nice for someone else besides me and Gaius to know! Keeping you alive will be a lot easier now!"

"…what?"

However, the manservant didn't seem to notice the prince's odd reaction, as humming happily he began to slide his bed aside. He especially didn't notice the prince's wide eyes as he pulled from under the floorboards, the magic book handing it to the suddenly pale, confused royal.

"Then...do you think I could hide this in your room, Sire? It gets dusty under the floorboards...and I could practice magic while I'm finishing chores." He looked up. "What's that look for?"

"Merlin…"

"What, Arthur?"

"You mean you really _are_ a sorcerer!"

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End file.
